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"How can he know that Rupert Dunsmore is coming back?" he said to himself. "Can he have any way of finding out things I don't know about? And if he did, how could he know that? Most likely it's only a guess to soothe me down, and he doesn't really know anything at all about it." After lunch, Allen and Ella appeared together, ready for their expedition.
There was some fellow you had with you who told the landlord of the Chobham Arms, so I easily found out from him," answered Walter. "Anyhow, I'm glad you're here," Dunn said. "I was wondering how to get in touch with you. Well, this is Deede Dawson's plan in brief. Tomorrow, at four in the afternoon, Rupert Dunsmore is to be killed and I've undertaken to do the deed."
I'm not suggesting you would do such a thing as never go near the place, loaf around a bit, then come back and report Rupert Dunsmore out of the way for good, draw your pay and vanish, and leave us to find out he was as lively and troublesome as ever. I don't think you would do that, because you sounded as if you meant what you said when you told me he was your worst enemy.
"Father, I never wrote that letter you say you had. Walter forged it to get you here, where he meant to kill us both. That's why he looked like that, that's why he had his gun." General Dunsmore only stared blankly at him for a moment. "Kill me? Kill you? What for?" he gasped. "So that he might become Lord Chobham of Wreste Abbey instead of Lord Chobham's poor relation," answered Rupert.
Clive was killed by the poachers and when he came another time to the house I thought I must try to find out what he wanted. I listened while they talked and they said such strange things I made up my mind to try to warn Mr. Dunsmore, for I was sure there was something they were plotting." "There was indeed," said Rupert grimly. "And but for that warning you sent me they would have succeeded."
It was not signed, but both General Dunsmore and Rupert knew his writing and were prepared to swear to it. Beginning abruptly and scribbled on a torn scrap of paper, it ran: "I found Clive where you said, lucky you got hold of the note and read it before she sent it, for no doubt she meant to warn him. Take care she gets no chance of the sort again. I did Clive's business all right.
He began to laugh again and Dunn laughed, too, for while he was not sure what it was that amused Deede Dawson, there were certain aspects of all this that bore for him a very curious and ironic humour. "All right," he said. "You bring me face to face with Rupert Dunsmore and you won't have to grumble about the result, for I swear only one of us will go away alive. But how are you going to do it?"
He had spoken so quickly and quietly, in the very act of turning away, that none of the onlookers could have told that a word had passed, but for the very violent start that Walter Dunsmore made and his quick movement forward as if to follow the other. Immediately Dunn turned back towards him with a swift warning gesture of his hand.
He has given me his full confidence at last, and I never felt more uneasy or less certain of success than I do at this moment." "He has told you everything?" Walter Dunsmore asked. "Everything, except who is behind it all," answered Dunn. "I asked him who he was acting for, and he refused to say.
He placed the tough ash handle across his knee, and with a movement of his powerful hands, he broke the hoe across. The two smashed pieces he dropped on the ground, and looking at Deede Dawson, he said: "Like that if ever Rupert Dunsmore and I meet alone, only one of us will go away alive." And he confirmed it with an oath. Deede Dawson clapped him on the shoulder, and laughed. "Good!" he cried.
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